The victims in two recent homicides on St. Croix have been identified by the V.I. Police Department.
Jose Edgardo Rivera Berrios, a 43-year-old from Puerto Rico, died Thursday of a gunshot wound. He was shot in downtown Christiansted near the Pucha bar.
The victim in Sunday’s shooting at Cane Bay was identified Monday by the V.I. Police Department as 30-year-old Leodel Isles of St. Croix.
In Thursday’s homicide, police were notified of the shooting at about 10:15 p.m. The preliminary police report indicated that a man, not identified by police, was holding another man at gunpoint and asked people in the area to call 911. Before units could arrive at the location 911 was notified that at least one shot had been fired.
When officers arrived on the scene they found Berrios lying on the ground. EMTs on the scene said the victim was unresponsive. He was taken to the Gov. Juan F. Luis Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead by medical staff.
The alleged shooter voluntarily surrendered his licensed firearm to police on the scene. No arrests have been made in that case.
Sunday’s shooting occurred at about 6:45 p.m. Sunday. 911 emergency dispatchers reported receiving several calls regarding the incident. When officers arrived on the scene they found Isles lying in an open field near the Eat at Cane Bay restaurant.
Emergency medical technicians on the scene said he was unresponsive. The victim was taken to Luis hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police are withholding additional comments on the incident while the investigation is ongoing. Police urges anyone with information on the crime to call detectives at 712-6077 or 712-6037, or call the anonymous tip service, Crime Stoppers USVI, at 1-800-222-8477.
